Judith V. Boettcher

Early Feedback. Ask for early feedback in the second week of a 12 to 15 week term. This lets students know that you are interested in how the course experience is working for them and gives you lots of time to fix any course requirements, expectations or patterns that may be particularly troubling or simply not working for students. Feedback that often results from these early feedback loops include requests to shift assignment due dates, modify project requirements or simply requests for help in getting course readings or solving some technical difficulty.

Discussion Wrap. If you are successful in creating dynamic, sustained conversations in the discussion forum, it may be difficult to end a particular conversation and move on to the next topic. This is why a discussion wrap, which essentially summarizes, highlights and transitions to the next topic can be very effective in moving learners along. In some courses, the role of discussion wrapper can be handled by a learner or by a two-person team.

Be Present. Even with a “nod of the head.” Of all the good practices in online learning, the most important practice is “being there.” How do your students know you are there? By acknowledging, commenting, challenging, querying. By encouraging students to respond to and support other students and then confirming, adding subtleties as appropriate from your expertise. By connecting, relating, and observing similarities and possibly dissonant or conflicting beliefs.

Judith Boettcher is co-author of The Online Teaching Survival Guide.

Do you agree with these tips? Have additional ones to share with the community? Share your thoughts below.

Rosemary Lehman and Simone Conceição

Technique: How to incorporate a sense of presence in your Online Course.

By identifying the types of activity, interaction and presence, you can determine where presence can be integrated throughout the teaching process (before, during and end of course).

Example table is from Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching by Rosemary M. Lehman and Simone C. O Conceição

Submitted by Rosemary M. Lehman and Simone C. O. Conceição, authors of Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners.

What are your thoughts? How do you build a sense of presence in your online courses? Share your thoughts below.

Activity
Help students connect with each other at the beginning of an online course with an icebreaker.

Example icebreaker from Engaging the Online Learner by Rita-Marie Conrad and J. Ana Donaldson

Snowball
Task: Introductory exercise for the beginning of a course
Objective: To find commonalities with others in the learning community
Method: Asynchronous or synchronous

Instructions

Have one person enter a basic introduction of himself or herself, including his or her interests. A second person must then enter an introduction of himself or herself and find one thing in common with the first person. A third person then enters his or her introduction and finds one thing in common with the first person and the second person. Each of the rest of the class members then enters an introduction and must find something in common with at least three other people in the class. The first person, in turn, must respond to at least three people with whom he or she has something in common. The second person must respond to at least two additional people. The third person must respond to at least one additional person.

• What is the most common question you get asked about?
• How can faculty get their students engaged?

• What question do you get asked the most about teaching online?
• What is your favorite tip on getting to know your students?

What does a sense of presence look and feel like throughout the online teaching and learning experience?

Rosemary M. Lehman and Simone C. O. Conceição

A sense of presence looks and feels like the instructor has placed the learner at the center of the course development and created the course for that learner. It also looks and feels like the instructor is accessible to the learners and that the learners are accessible to the instructor and each other; and that the technology is transparent to the learning process. The learner is “there” and “together” with the instructor and other learners, as well. The learner is also involved in the design process by giving feedback and helping shape the online environment. Creating a sense of presence doesn’t just naturally happen. It should be the result of awareness, understanding, intentional planning and design, and involvement throughout the teaching-learning experience on the part of the instructor and learners. During this experience, everyone must think, feel, and behave with a sense of presence through interactive activities.

Submitted by Rosemary M. Lehman and Simone C. O. Conceição, authors of Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners.

What are your thoughts? We’d like to hear how you would answer this question.  Share your thoughts below.

How important are rubrics for assessing learning and should I share the rubrics with my students?

Judith V. Boettcher

Rubrics are very valuable. They do take time and thought to prepare, but then the developed rubrics can be readily modified for other assignments. It is hard to overstate the value of rubrics (1) in codifying the criteria and standards for an assignment thus making grading easier; (2) in communicating the academic and professional expectations of an assignment or project, and (3) providing a tool for self-review and peer-review. Samples of rubrics are provided in a number of the tips in The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips. Rubrics can range from a simple three point rubric for discussion postings to more complex rubrics for projects and for emphasizing specific skills such as critical or innovative thinking.

Submitted by Judith Boettcher co-author of The Online Teaching Survival Guide.

What are your thoughts? We’d like to hear how you would answer this question.  Share your thoughts below.

How many students should I have in my first time teaching an online course?

Judith V. Boettcher

Faculty have a lot to learn when teaching online for the first time. It takes time and energy and patience to establish new habits of teaching. The preparation time is similar to teaching a campus course for the first time plus the time required for learning the ins and outs of the technology. One of the main challenges is learning how to “be present,” teach and mentor effectively online. With all that going on, I usually recommend that the class size for a new online faculty not exceed 15 students. Other excellent ways of getting started in online teaching is to co-teach with an experienced online teacher or to have a e-coach for support.

What are your thoughts? We’d like to hear how you would answer this question.  Share your thoughts below.

My students tend not to finish watching my recorded lectures. How can I get them to complete recordings?

Robin Smith

It is a challenge to get busy students to complete watching videos which are over 12-17 minutes in length.  From what we know about the brain and learning, chunking course content into absorbable pieces creates a better learning experience and better fits student schedules.  An easy method of creating content chunks and bridges (transitions) is detailed in Conquering the Content Chapter 5, Design with Content in Mind.

What is your guidance? How have you dealt with this issue? Please share your thoughts below.

A community member asked the following question:

How can I write discussion postings that invite thoughtful and dynamic responses?

Judith V. Boettcher

Keep in mind that the discussion board is equivalent to the classroom discussion.  You want learners to not only state their beliefs, but also to respond to the statements and observations of others.  Thus the kinds of interactions that happen naturally in the face-to-face classroom often need to be explicitly described and rewarded in the online environment.  Two strategies that can help the discussion board to become more dynamic and thoughtful is to require learners to explicitly respond to at least two other learners, and to require learners to apply a concept, problem or belief to a personal, local or regional condition or event.

Related resource:
For additional ideas on this topic, listen to the podcast by Stephen D. Brookfield on Discussion as a Way of Teaching.

What are your thoughts? We’d like to hear how you would answer this question.  Share your thoughts below.